Providing differentiated QoS by dynamically segregating voice and video clients into different BSSIDs

Abstract

An access category assigned to stations making probe requests, based on a station type determined. Responsive to a voice access category type determination, deep packet inspection on one or more network packets from a specific flow of the specific station to identify a specific voice application running on the specific station can be performed. A GSSID is assigned to the specific station based on the specific voice application identified, each GSSID from a plurality of GSSIDs having distinct QoS parameters for voice applications. The probe request is responded to with a probe response, wherein the probe response comprises the GSSID. Network packets can be transmitted for and network packets by the specific station comprising the GSSID utilizing the voice access category.

We claim: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for an access point communicatively coupled to a plurality of stations on a data communication network, the method for providing differentiated QoS (quality of service) to the plurality of stations by dynamically segregating voice and video client applications into different BSSIDs (basic service set identifiers), and the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving network packets, at a network interface of the access point, as transmission by or for transmission to the plurality of stations using a BSSID, wherein the network packets comprise a plurality of sessions associated with a plurality of applications running on the plurality of stations; 
 receiving a probe request from a specific station comprising the BSSID; 
 determining an access category assigned to the specific station based on a station type; 
 responsive to a voice access category type determination, performing deep packet inspection on one or more network packets from a specific flow of the specific station to identify a specific voice application running on the specific station; 
 assigning a BSSID to the specific station based on the specific voice application identified, each BSSID from a plurality of BSSIDs having distinct QoS parameters for voice applications, wherein each BSSID has a set of parameters with unique values, wherein the set of parameters includes one or more of AIFS (arbitration inter-frame space), CW (contention window) and TxOP (transmit opportunity); 
 responding to the probe request with a probe response, wherein the probe response comprises the BSSIDs; and 
 transmitting network packets for and network packets by the specific station comprising the BSSIDs utilizing the voice access category. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second specific session of network packets associated with a second specific voice application on the specific station is assigned a second BSSID with having QoS parameters distinct form the BSSIDs. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein network packets of the specific session are formatted according to the IEEE 802.11e protocol. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identified specific video applications are assigned to a third BSSIDs of the plurality of BSSIDs. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the BSSID is limited to a predetermined number of stations from the plurality of stations. 
     
     
       6. A non-transitory computer readable media storing source code in an access point communicatively coupled to a plurality of stations on a data communication network, the source code, when executed by a processor, performing a method for providing differentiated QoS (quality of service) to the plurality of stations by dynamically segregating voice and video client applications into different BSSIDs, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving network packets, at a network interface of the access point, as transmission by or for transmission to the plurality of stations using a BSSID, wherein the network packets comprise a plurality of sessions associated with a plurality of applications running on the plurality of stations; 
 receiving a probe request from a specific station comprising the BSSID; 
 determining an access category assigned to the specific station based on a station type; 
 responsive to a voice access category type determination, performing deep packet inspection on one or more network packets from a specific flow of the specific station to identify a specific voice application running on the specific station; 
 assigning a BSSID to the specific station based on the specific voice application identified, each BSSID from a plurality of BSSIDs having distinct QoS parameters for voice applications, wherein each BSSID has a set of parameters with unique values, wherein the set of parameters includes one or more of AIFS (arbitration inter-frame space), CW (contention window) and TxOP (transmit opportunity); 
 responding to the probe request with a probe response, wherein the probe response comprises the BSSIDs; and 
 transmitting network packets for and network packets by the specific station comprising the BSSIDs utilizing the voice access category. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer readable media of  claim 6 , wherein a second specific session of network packets associated with a second specific voice application on the specific station is assigned a second BSSID with having QoS parameters distinct form the BSSID. 
     
     
       8. The computer readable media of  claim 6 , wherein network packets of the specific session are formatted according to the IEEE 802.11e protocol. 
     
     
       9. The computer readable media of  claim 6 , wherein identified specific video applications are assigned to a third BSSIDs of the plurality of BSSIDs. 
     
     
       10. The computer readable media of  claim 6 , wherein the BSSID is limited to a predetermined number of stations from the plurality of stations. 
     
     
       11. An access point communicatively coupled to a plurality of stations on a data communication network, the access point to provide differentiated QoS to the plurality of stations by dynamically segregating voice and video client applications into different BSSIDs (basic service set identifiers), and the access point comprising:
 a network interface, to receive network packets as transmission by or for transmission to the plurality of stations using a BSSID, wherein the network packets comprise a plurality of sessions associated with a plurality of applications running on the plurality of stations, 
 wherein the network interface receives a probe request from a specific station comprising the BSSID; and 
 a processor coupled to the network interface, to determine an access category assigned to the specific station based on a station type, wherein responsive to a voice access category type determination, the processor performs deep packet inspection on one or more network packets from a specific flow of the specific station to identify a specific voice application running on the specific station, 
 wherein the processor assigns a BSSID to the specific station based on the specific voice application identified, each BSSID from a plurality of BSSIDs having distinct QoS parameters for voice applications, wherein each BSSID has a set of parameters with unique values, wherein the set of parameters includes one or more of AIFS (arbitration inter-frame space), CW (contention window) and TxOP (transmit opportunity), 
 wherein the processor responds to the probe request with a probe response, wherein the probe response comprises the BSSID, 
 wherein the network interface transmits network packets for and network packets by the specific station comprising the GSSID utilizing the voice access category.